Moving Day
by Let-The-Wookiee-Win
Summary: Learning they are to become parents once more, Han and Leia take the decision to downsize from their State apartment to something more suitable. Anyone who's ever moved, however, knows how stressful moving day can be. But for the Solos? They thrive on stress!
1. Chapter 1

_Inspired in part by memories of my own move from a house which in my mind I couldn't wait to leave, only to find at the last minute I couldn't help but pat the hall walls and thank the place I had called home for looking after me.  
I don't take my new abode for granted and every Christmas I buy my home a present and it buys one for me...be nice if it didn't use my credit card for that, mind..._

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It had been seven months since Han and Leia had discussed and agreed to part with their apartment and downsize to something they felt would be more suitable and more manageable.  
Progress had been slow initially, both Han and Leia having their own ideas as to the prefect replacement and neither prepared to give a whole lot of ground until the realisation finally dawned upon them that the perfect replacement was in fact the property in which they already lived.  
Grudgingly they had each faced their intransigence and, after some searching, had found a property that perfectly suited their needs.  
Their new apartment was across town, in a good neighbourhood and formed part of a development of mixed accommodation of single and family dwellings.  
In addition, within the same development, they had found two smaller units Jaina and Jacen had fallen in love with and on which Han and Leia had placed deposits, securing the properties for their children. Close enough to be near if needed, but far enough away to not be overbearing.

At the conclusion of her first trimester, Leia's specialists had insisted upon the removal of the remaining nerve stimulators which had, for the previous year, helped process the signals her brain sent to her legs. Legs which had been so badly damaged by the Yuuzhan Vong it had originally been feared she may face paralysis, had it not been for her own steadfast refusal to give in and her husband's continual nagging. As a result, Leia had spent months undergoing rehabilitation, far from aided by an extended period of debilitating morning sickness throughout her second trimester. However, for the past four days, it seemed she had finally turned a metaphorical corner toward a final trimester of blooming health.

The last night in their current home had been spent in the company of their children, Jaina and Jacen, along with Luke and Mara Skywalker. With dinner eaten, the two couples had retired to the living area whilst Jaina had gone to change before going out with Jagged Fel and Jacen had simply taken to his bedroom causing Leia to frown.

"I worry about him." Leia said wistfully, gazing in the direction Jacen had just taken.

"What for?" Han stretched a long arm across the back of the sofa and casually crossed an ankle over his thigh. "He's doing great with the business."

"I was thinking about his social skills, not his business acumen!" Leia turned a stern glare on her husband. "He spends all of his spare time in his room...he has no friends his own age...I worry that he's going to grow into an emotionally stunted young man."

When Han rolled his eyes he earned an unforgiving jab in the ribs from his wife.

"He's certainly found himself _one_ friend his own age." Mara said with a smirk.

"Mara Jade Skywalker!" Leia exclaimed. "What are you saying?"

"Well. I'm not one to gossip..." She leaned forward confidentially.

"Not much." Luke mumbled, earning him an equally unforgiving elbow in the ribs also.

"The word around the Temple is that he and Tenel Ka get it on just about every opportunity they get!" Mara smiled.

"That sly old chip off the old block!" Han grinned. "So that's why he was so keen to take on all the deliveries in that sector on his own. I figured he was just trying to ease _my_ workload."

"Well, I think it's wonderful. I hope they're very happy." Leia asserted and sighed. "Maybe some of that happiness will rub off on his sister."

"Thanks for letting her come home for a few days. We really need the extra pair of hands at the moment." Han said.

"Not a problem." Luke waved the gratitude away. "You know, if we can do anything to help..."

"Thanks. But just bringing Jaina home is help enough. Assuming she doesn't spend the whole time mooning over that sappy Fel kid!" Han said.

"I thought you liked Jagged Fel." Luke said, puzzled.

"That was last week Luke. This week he's 'that sappy kid' again." Leia rolled her eyes.

"Kid doesn't know a good thing when he sees it!" Han grumbled.

"Jag is _not_ the problem in that relationship Han." Leia informed him, shaking her head.

"Humpf..." Han's answering rumble indicated he was not convinced.

"So...have you thought of names yet?" Mara asked, changing the subject.

"Well, if we have a girl..." Han started, his hand resting lightly against Leia's belly. "I think we should call her Leia."

Leia shot Han a withering glance. "We are _not_ calling him Han!" She insisted.

"Why the heck not! It's a great name." Han exclaimed and sat forward to look at Luke. "Be honest Luke, if you were to have another Son wouldn't you like to call him Luke Junior?"

"W..." Luke started with a shrug.

"I can't believe you would try to coerce my own brother!" Leia glared. "We talked about this and we agreed. No little Leia and no baby Han."

"Humpf..." Han's response was unenthusiastic.

"Well." Luke chanced a brief smile towards Mara. "It's kind of a moot point at present."

"Oh?" Leia asked catching the briefest of flushes to Mara's cheeks. It was gone almost before it was there and Leia frowned momentarily in thought.

"It can be difficult finding time to yourselves when you have a small child. Not that Han would understand that." Leia groaned, edged forward and grimaced. "Little beast's resting on my sciatic nerve again!"

"Every three days. Regular as a chronometer." Han added, rubbing Leia's lower back.

"Could you help me up?" Leia held out her hand to Han who helped pull her to her feet.

"You okay?" He asked, with concern.

"I need my walker." She told him.

"What for?" He queried.

"Because I need the 'fresher!" She hissed. "There's either a foot or an elbow squeezing my bladder to the size of a pimple so could you _please_ pass me my walker and step aside before I leave something on the carpet we could be charged for!"

Han watched her go, slow cautious steps toward the 'fresher.

"She looks a little small. For seven months." Mara noted when Leia was out of earshot.

"Yeah." Han said, without elaborating and before starting to clear dishes for the last time from their dining table.

Mara nudged Luke a couple of times before he took the hint and followed Han with any remaining dishes.

"So." Luke asked, with a soft smile. "How's she doing? Really?"

Han finished loading the cleansing unit and pulled a beer from the cooler, offering one to Luke who smiled a polite refusal.

"She still has her bad days." Han replied, taking a long drink from his bottle. "We both do. The past couple of weeks have been tough...you know...packing up Anakin's stuff. We talked about putting his furniture in storage, then the kids suggested they take some. Their apartments' are partially furnished but I think they just wanted to keep some of him with them. Mara's right though, Leia _is_ small for seven months. Her Oh-Bee isn't concerned, just says it's a small baby, but after Hannay...Leia's been on pins. Then, last week we passed the point where we lost Hannay and she seemed to lighten up. Moving...it just brings it all back though."

Han took another long drink from his bottle. "This had been her apartment before we made it our home." He continued and smiled softly at the memories. "Made love in. Made babies in. Fell out and made up in. Leaving here has been harder on her than I ever imagined."

"She'll adjust." Luke assured him. "If there's one thing Leia's real good at it's adapting to her surroundings. Look how she's coped with the past year and a half!"

"Don't you mean, look how she's coped with the past twenty plus years?" He asked, arching an eyebrow and giving him a partial smile.

"You know, I think..." Luke started, before being interrupted by Leia's voice.

"Han!" She called. "Han! Jagged's here."

"Terrific!" Han grumbled, rolling his eyes before dumping his empty beer bottle and heading back to the living area, indicating that Luke should follow.

Leia was clutching a huge bouquet of flowers and smiling broadly. "Look Han! Jagged bought me flowers. And it's not even my birthday."

"I buy you flowers when it's not your birthday too." Han mumbled.

"_Or_ our Anniversary." Leia added sarcastically.

Han opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again.

"What a lovely thing to do. So thoughtful." Mara observed.

"Humpf...He does know we're moving tomorrow, right?" Han questioned.

"Yes Sir. I asked the florist to stand the bouquet in a vase, it's not obvious beneath the wrapping. It's kind of a house-welcoming present." Jag smiled and Han felt something inside deflate.

"I thought I heard your voice..." Jaina bounced into the living area, all smiles and giggles. "Oh Mom, what beautiful flowers!"

"Aw brother!" Han muttered under his breath.

"A house-welcoming gift from Jagged." Leia beamed.

"Awww..." Jaina's face melted into an expression of joyous gratitude and she kissed Jag's slightly flushing cheek tenderly. "Dad, since Jag's offered to help with the move tomorrow I said he could stay here tonight. That's okay, isn't it?"

Han looked from Jaina to Jag to Leia and back to Jaina.

"In Anak...the...er spare room. Obviously." Jag stated, correcting his near faux pas.

"Well..." Han scratched the back of his neck. "He _is_ helping with the move. An' we _do_ have an early start. So, I guess it's all right. Yeah."

"Thank you Sir." Jag nodded his head graciously.

Leia glared suggestively at her husband who sighed through his nostrils.

"In fact...if you want...you could s..." Han considered his word carefully 'sleep', 'share', "Stay with Jaina...save us making up an extra bed. You know...if you want."

Jag lowered his gaze and Jaina kissed her father's cheek, mouthing "Thank you." at him.

"Just don't keep her up all night...you know...talking...and stuff. 'Cos we got an early start in the morning." Han repeated.

"You have my word." Jag assured him.

With a promise that they wouldn't be late and smiled goodbyes to everyone, Jag and Jaina headed out for the rest of the evening. Han watched her go, feeling the eyes of the room on him.

"What?" He finally growled, frowning deeply.

"Talking?" Luke smirked.

"And stuff?" Leia added.

"Yeah. Well...you try being father to a daughter. It aint all that easy you know." Han sulked.

"Maybe I will one day." Luke countered.

"Yes." Mara grinned, smirking directly at Luke. "Maybe you will."

Leia's mouth fell open. "I knew I saw something earlier!" She exclaimed. "Are you two..."

"Yes!" Mara yelped. "I've been bursting with the news all day!"

"You...We..." Luke's mouth was suddenly too dry to finish a single sentence.

"For a Jedi Master, you sure do a good impression of a Farm Boy at times." Mara giggled. And giggled harder as Luke pulled her into his arms and swung her around like a small child.

"Well that's just wonderful." Han grinned, slapping Luke on the back. "Han Junior gets two cousins to play with."

"We are _not_ calling him Han!" Leia reminded him, joining in the hugs and ignoring Han's frown as she held Mara's hand. "When? Do you know when?"

"A few weeks. No more." Mara smiled and exhaled. "It feels so good to be able to say something, to tell someone. I knew almost immediately but I was...oh...I was so scared, in case..."

"I understand." Leia hugged her sister-in-law again knowing her fears. Even without the debilitating disease Mara had previously been infected with and fought so bravely to overcome, Leia could understand the worries of early pregnancy.

"Well I'd say this called for a celebration, but since I'd be the only one drinking I guess I should pass." Han said. "Plus, I have no idea which box the good stuff got packed into."

"If it's all right with you, I think I'd like to save the celebrations until we have him or her safely in our arms." Mara smiled. "Besides, you two have a busy day ahead and I would rather like to take my lost-for-words husband back to our accommodation and see if can't tease a few sounds from him."

"Looks like someone's in for a 'good night'." Han sniggered and nudged Luke. "Might wanna get yourself a bag of ice to cool that sizzling lightsaber of yours later."

Luke blushed furiously and quickly changed the subject. "Well, I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow. We'll get out from under your feet and let you rest for what's left of the evening."

Luke slipped his hand into Mara's and the couple headed for the door.

"And next time, bring that Son of yours with you." Han told them. "He must be walking by now."

"He's sure giving it a try." Mara confirmed. "If I'd known raising a Force-Sensitive child was going to be so testing I might not have been so enthusiastic about getting pregnant!"

They all said their goodbye's and Leia leaned back against the wall gathering her strength.

"Well. At least we won't have that worry with this little one." She said, scrunching her face and attempting to find a comfortable position.

"What would you say if I told you I knew a man who would run you a warm bath, filled with your favourite bubbles. A man who would fill the 'fresher with your favourite scented candles, wash your hair with your favourite shampoo and then, just for good measure, gently massage any damn part of your body that needed massaging and even some that didn't?" Han asked, with an all too mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I'd say pass me the annulment papers and let me marry him before the night is over." She answered.

"I'll save you the trouble of signing, you're already married to him." Han's arms snaked about her, one thigh pressing against her.

Leia giggled as Han lifted her into his arms. He was still the strongest man she knew. Still the strongest and still the sexiest.

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"Remind me." Jag said. "What is it we're doing here again?"

Jaina grinned up at him. "I'm showing you where I will be living after tomorrow." She answered.

"Right..." Jag considered shrewdly. "So...why are we here, _tonight_?"

"So you can see it before it gets all cluttered up tomorrow with my stuff." She explained.

"So, remind me." Jag continued. "How're we supposed to get in, if it's not officially yours until tomorrow?"

Inserting a card into the door mechanism, Jaina punched in the security code and the door to the 'soon-to-be-all-hers' apartment slid aside.

"How did you _do_ that?" Jag asked.

"It's a talent." She shrugged and skipped into the apartment.

"Seriously. How did you do that?" Jag asked again, following her and hearing the door swish shut behind them.

"Well, we viewed a couple of times before placing our thumbprints on the dotted line." Jaina replied. "And one time, I happened to notice someone had left a spare keycard in a drawer. I simply palmed it, basically so I could drop by and check the place out without the benefit of Mom cooing over everything or Dad trying to get a reduction on the charges!"

"This is nice." Jag nodded as he looked past her and into the living quarters.

She took his hand and led him through an archway. "There's a small 'fresher here for guests or for when I'm in the lounge." She told him, showing him the pristeen white facilities before leading him back through the living area and under an archway in the opposite corner. "And this is my kitchen."

"Wow!" Jag circled the cooking island, admiring the size, the layout and the space. "Seriously. Wow."

"Why thank you." Jaina grinned.

"I had no idea you were so good in the kitchen." He commented.

"I'm good everywhere." She answered with a smirk.

"You know what I mean." He admonished.

"Disappointingly, yes I do." She mumbled as she turned, indicating he should follow. "I was thinking about having a dining table here, by the window. I know there's no patio like we used to have but when I'm entertaining we can look out over the city and my guests can talk to me while I'm cooking."

"Sounds like a good idea." He watched her eyes sparkle as she examined the room with a home-owners eyes.

"And this, obviously, is the main seating area." Jaina splayed her fingers toward the in-situ sofas and chairs. "Dad said he'd help with an entertainment system, which I presume is so he can watch the Dreadnaughts when he comes to visit."

Jag laughed. "He sure does love his smashball, doesn't he?"

"Which wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so unbelievably dreadful!" She said, rolling her eyes.

"Don't let _him_ hear you say that." Jag laughed harder. "Although, I get the feeling he'd probably forgive you for just about anything. Even that."

She smiled at him from under her eyelashes and slipped her hand back into his, tugging him into the last of her rooms. "And this, is my retreat." She presented her bedroom to him. "I've got built in wardrobes and an en suite 'fresher."

"But no bed." He noted.

"Not yet." She corrected. "We could have had that as an optional extra but, as Dad helpfully pointed out, I have a perfectly good one at the old apartment and it's not like I'm going to be living here year round. But..."

She strode to the windows, picked up a remote control and waggled her eyebrows at him.

"Is it to call for room service?" He teased.

"Better!" She flipped a switch and the room darkened by 25 per cent.

"Tinted windows." He said. "Cool."

"Actually, it's the very latest technology. I can dim the windows all the way down to blackout to the outside world, but in here the lighting remains at whatever level I set it to." She told him, then sauntered over to stand before him. "So I can be in here, completely naked and making love with whomever I want under the twinkling stars. But not a sole can see in. Not even the holonet press spies."

"When you get a bed." Jag observed. "Unless you want to risk carpet burns on that creamy white ass of yours."

"The windows are the same in the living quarters too." She smiled and licked her lips. "And I _do_ have a sofa."

He laughed again. Much to Jaina's annoyance.

"Not quite the reaction I was expecting." She said, her smile fading before she pushed past him and returned to the living area.

"You don't think maybe..." He spoke cautiously as he followed her. "You're moving a little too fast?"

"Clearly _you_ do." She answered, her breathing measured.

"Jaina!" Jag grabbed her arm, halting her as she turned her firm jaw up to him. "Don't be like this."

"You're hurting my arm!" She hissed.

"You're hurting my head." He countered, releasing her arm.

"You knew I'd be high-maintenance when you begged me to get back with you." She reminded him.

"I did _not_ beg you to get back with me." Jag corrected.

"Actually...you kind of did, Rogue boy." She nodded her head at him.

"Rogue. Boy." He grinned. "Weirdly, I like it."

"That's something I suppose." She tried to hide a tight smile.

"It's not all I like, you know." He said and caressed her hair with his eyes. "I like the way your hair falls around your shoulders like a velvet curtain."

"Velvet curtain?" Her eyes shone as she nibbled her bottom lip.

"You get that from your Mom. You're temper, however, is _all_ Solo." He observed.

"Not _all_. Dad says Mom used to cut him in half with her acerbic tongue back in the day." She said with another smile. "She can still hold her own in an argument and I'm not sure which one I'd bet on in a fist fight."

"That's something else I like, your sense of humour." He laughed.

"Oh, that's not humour. That's just fact." She stated, her face deadpan.

Jag laughed again and pulled Jaina into his arms. "You know, you make it damn difficult not to want to be with you." He said.

"Then why do you?" She looked up at him, a confused frown on her forehead. "Or should that be, why don't you?"

"I just don't want us to rush into anything." He cupped her face in his hands. "Especially not that. Not after...well, after everything."

"You mean after my pregnancy and my miscarriage." She looked deeply into his eyes. "You can say it you know."

"No. I mean that _I_ have made mistakes in the past which I'm hoping not to repeat. I want to be with you. But not until we're _both_ ready. And right now, it feels more like you're trying to prove you've moved on since..."

"Since my pregnancy. And my miscarriage." She finished for him. "Though, to me, it feels more like _you're_ trying to prove _you've_ move on since..."

"Since your pregnancy. And your miscarriage." He obliged by finishing her sentence and sighed.

"So, what now?" She asked him.

"Well." He answered, thinking. "We could go to a bar and have a drink or two. Or, we could stay here and talk. See if we can't lay some of our ghosts to rest."

He arched an eyebrow at her then eyed the sofa.

"Here sounds good." Her face softened and they sank into the sofa beside each other.

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Leia closed her eyes and felt herself drifting as Han stroked the brush through her hair one last time and plaited it into one long soft braid the way he knew she liked.  
He'd always loved her hair. Probably even before he'd realised he was in love with her. At times, her hair had intrigued him.  
How she'd braid it. How she got it to smell the way it smelled whenever he was near. How it never, but never, seemed to have a life of it's own. Unlike his own unruly mop.  
And after they had discovered their feelings and allowed them to blossom into something intense and passionate, he had loved the silky feel of it as it cascaded between his fingers or when it lay damp against his body in the afterglow of their lovemaking.  
Han pitied any man who didn't know the sensuality of Leia's long, luscious tresses. However, he would equally have beaten to a pulp any man who tried!

"All done." He said and watched through the mirror of her dressing table as Leia's eyes slowly opened.

"Thank you." She said, a dreamy smile upon her lips.

"Feel like some exercise?" He asked.

"Not really." She replied with a sigh. "But I suppose I have to."

"Not if you _want_ to keep using the walker you don't." He countered and offered her his arm.

"Okay. Let's get it over with." She replied and swivelled on her stool to face him, taking a deep breath.

He gave her a reassuring wink and pulled her gently to her feet.

"One foot in front of the other. Slowly, you know the way." He guided her two steps.

"You won't let me go!" She appealed.

"Not ever. You should know that by now." He answered, watching her take another two steps toward their bed. "Think you can take the last step on your own?"

"No Han!" She begged and gripped his arms tightly. "I'm not ready for that yet."

Han took a step to eliminate the distance between them and held her steady.

"Gotta do it sometime Sweetheart." He spoke softly into her ear. "One step. That's all it takes."

"Easy for you to say!" She commented, her breath coming fast.

"I'll be right here to catch you if you fall." He confirmed.

"Says the man who's never fallen in his life." Leia accused, immediately regretting her words the moment they were out of her mouth. "I'm sorry Han, I didn't mean that."

He gently kissed her cheek.

"One step Sweetheart." He whispered. "And I promise you the finest massage you will ever receive."

"I should warn you, I have memories of some _very_ fine massages!"

"Not like mine Sweetheart." He promised and gave her the lightest of nudges.

Nervously, feeling Han's arms lighten, Leia took the final step on her own. Her strength was without doubt returning, slowly. Much too slowly for Leia's liking. However, when she completed that single step, her relief was palpable.

Han stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her from behind, laughing into her neck. "See? You see Honey? It wasn't so hard was it? Tomorrow night, it'll be two steps, the same the night after that and then we'll try three and so on..."

"I love you Han Solo." Leia giggled, eyes sparkling as she turned her face up to his.

"You think you love me now, you just wait until after your massage!" He waggled his eyebrows at her, scooped her easily into his arms and placed her gently on her side of the bed before kneeling at her feet. "You ready for that massage now?"

Leia chewed her bottom lip as he continued to grin at her. "Maybe tomorrow night? Mind if we just cuddle tonight?"

He swung into bed beside her, tugging the sheet over them as he found a comfortable position for them both to lie nestled together. "He awake?" He asked, indicating Leia's bump.

"You know it!" She grumbled.

"You want me to have a word?" He queried.

"He'll settle." She answered, snuggling closer. "He likes to feel your warmth almost as much as I do."

Han smiled and allowed himself the luxury of a few self-indulgent thoughts to invade his mind. It was usually at such times that they found themselves reminded of the fragility of human life. But, Han thought, there couldn't be anything wrong in feeling this joyous for one night!

"We're doing the right thing you know, selling up and moving." He commented.

"I know." She agreed.

"I mean, I know how much you've loved this place. I have too! But, well, we gotta think about the future. Make sure it's right, you know, for everyone." He continued.

"I know." She repeated.

"And the kids, they need their independence." He said. "It's time they got their independence."

"Han. I agree." Leia looked up at him and he smiled back.

"I know you do." He sighed. "Can't help worrying about them though. Jaina's barely ever here and even when Jacen is, you'd hardly know it. You sure there wasn't some kind of mix up at the hospital and we got somebody else's twin?"

"That's just foolish talk!" She chided. "He's all you. They both are."

"Nah! They're not _all_ me. They're part you, part me, part Luke, part Chewie."

"Chewie!" Leia sniggered.

"Yeah. You clearly haven't been in the 'fresher after Jacen's spent an hour in there preening himself!" Han rolled his eyes. "Man, that boy moults!"

"Stop it! You're just being mean." She giggled, playfully slapping his chest.

"Seriously, he is like a shedding machine. I mean, I don't know where it all comes from, 'cos he's got as much left on after it looks like it's all come off." He laughed.

Leia laughed harder, her tummy jiggling against him.

"Well, it can't come from your side of the family." Leia teasingly twirled his light grey chest hair beneath an immaculate finger nail.

"Nor yours!" He scoffed. "Have you seen that bum-fluff your brother calls a beard? I'm telling ya Honey, if the mark of a good Jedi Master is his beard then Jaina's got a better chance of impressing than Luke does."

"Are you calling our daughter, hairy?!" Leia gasped and raised her chin to look at him.

"I'm just wondering how 'friendly' you and Chewie got when my back was turned." He grinned.

"Chewie!" Her mouth gaped. "You don't think he was little tall for me, maybe?"

"He sure was a big guy wasn't he?" Han smiled at the memory.

"Yes. Yes, he was." Leia agreed with an equally gentle smile before kissing Han's breast and turning her cheek to rest against it.

"And a good friend." Han added solemnly. "Kept me from falling flat on my face more than once."

Leia felt him swallow the hard, emotional lump she knew was in his throat.

"I still miss him too." She said quietly, feeling his arms tighten around her.

They lay together, silent in their own thoughts and reflections until a loud banging at their apartment door suddenly disturbed their peace.

"I should have known it was too good to be true!" Han grumbled.

"Let Jacen go." Leia moaned. "It'll just be Jaina forgetting the access code again."

The banging continued, accompanied by shouting. Han sighed and groaned. "How hard is it for her to remember a four digit code!"

"Maybe it's those Wookiee paws she inherited from her father." Leia sniggered.

Han rolled her onto her back and grinned down at her still beautiful face.

"If I thought you were being serious..." His lips attacked her neck, just beneath her earlobe where he knew they would have maximum effect. He was right, Leia laughed and sought the hair at the back of his head with her hand.

The shouting continued, though in Han's opinion was no longer restricted to the other side of the apartment door. Drawing away from his giggling wife, Han listened before gently placing a finger against Leia's lips to silence her.  
Two voices. One Jacen's. The other clearly male.  
One arguing. The other accusing.

"That's not Jaina!" Han stated, rising and pulling a soft nightshirt over his head before snatching a blaster from a bedside drawer and striding through to the living area. The sight before him was enough to make Han's blood boil.

"Hey!" He snarled at the man who held Jacen pressed against the wall by his throat. "First, you better have a damn good reason to be doing that and second, you better let my Son go before I let my finger get real well acquainted with the trigger of my blaster!"

The man released Jacen, who slid down the wall gasping for breath.

"Violence always was your way, wasn't it Solo?" Prince Isolder of Hapes said, turning slowly to face his old nemesis, arms held high.

"You! What the Hell are _you_ doing here?" Han growled.

"Your Son and I were having a chat." Isolder answered.

"Looked to me like _you_ were doing all the talking." Han spat, his eyes flicking to Jacen. "You okay Son?"

Jacen nodded, clutching his throat and starting to regain his breath.

"You wanna tell me what your 'chat' was about? Seeing as how Jacen's incapacitated at the moment." Han asked.

"A misunderstanding." Isolder replied.

"About?" Han arched an eyebrow.

"Your Son seems to be under the misapprehension that his attentions are reciprocated." Isolder sighed. "I was correcting him."

"I'm just a simple ex-smuggler. You wanna try that again in language I understand?" Han arched the other eyebrow.

"Ten...Tenal...Ka..." Jacen coughed.

Isolder took a step away from Jacen and closer to Han.

"I was telling your Son to stay out of my daughter's bed." Isolder said.

"Well. Seems to me, your daughter is old enough to make up her own mind who it is she wants warming her tootsies at night." Han observed, giving Isolder his best lopsided grin.

"My daughter is a _Princess_." Isolder stated, taking another step toward Han and quietening his voice. "Leia may have lowered her standards and allowed herself to be defiled by a 'simple ex-smuggler', but my daughter does not need your half-breed offspring spreading his vermin seed and besmirching her good name."

"Why you..." Han wrestled with the idea of just blasting him there and then, but opted instead for tossing his blaster from his right hand into his left and launching a punch at Isolder's face.

Isolder had anticipated the fight, dodging enough to yank at Han's left arm in attempt to grab the blaster away from him. In a flurry of arms and legs, punches and expletives the two men found themselves rolling on the floor fighting for the rights to a palm-sized holdout blaster.  
Stumbling into the scene, Leia gasped in astonishment.

"What in the name of...?" She exclaimed.

Her appearance coincided with a critical juncture in the tussle between Han, Isolder and the blaster and neither would be clear as to who it was that was ultimately responsible for the shot, but somehow in the scuffle the blaster's trigger was depressed and a tight beam of light was discharged from the weapon.

"Big mistake Your Isolder-ness!" Han hissed, still grappling with the other man. "All breakages must be paid for!"

"Same goes for theft!" Isolder hissed back. "Like the innocence your flea-bitten rodent child stole from my daughter!"

Jacen, meanwhile, had used the wall to lever himself upright. Still holding his throat, he let out a rasping howl.

"Mom!" Jacen screeched, pointing at the prone form of his Mother.

Han's head snapped around to see Leia, lying crumpled on the floor. His stomach flipped. Bile rose in his throat. Tears burned in his eyes.  
With an unceremonious knee to his opponent's groin, Han shoved Isolder aside and scrambled to Leia's side.

"Leia. Sweetheart. Honey. Can you hear me?" He worked to find a pulse, to feel her heartbeat, to find any sign that she was actually breathing before turning hate-filled eyes on Isolder. "You've killed her!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Isolder scowled, rising and dusting down his robes. "You were the one with the blaster."

"You were the one fighting me for it." Han growled.

"It was _your_ finger on the trigger." Isolder shouted.

"Well, it was _your_ hand squeezing my finger on that trigger!" Han shot back.

"What the...!" Jaina had entered the apartment completely unnoticed along with Jagged Fel, her face showing pure astonishment as she scanned the room. "_Isolder_? What are you doing here?"

"Trying to throttle your brother to death. Before moving on to murder your Mother!" Han answered.

"What?" Jaina exclaimed, utterly confused.

"I wasn't _trying_ to kill anybody!" Isolder argued.

"Well you started out by choking Jacen and now Leia's collapsed, so I'd say you were at least half way there." Han mumbled, finally locating Leia's pulse. "I got it. It's faint, but I can feel it. Luckily for him!"

"Perhaps I should help carry her to the bedroom." Isolder offered.

"_You_, you have done more than enough!" Han glowered at Isolder who returned the stare as Jag knelt beside Han to examine Leia.

"I have some limited triage experience." Jag explained. "Looks like she's been stunned."

"Well thank you Doctor Fel!" Han said sarcastically. "But I could've told you that."

"Don't take this out on Jag, Dad." Jaina said angrily and dropped to her knees next to her Mother. "Is she going to be all right?"

"I'll call a medic." Jag gave Jaina a sweet smile and gently squeezed her arm.

"How did this all happen?" Jaina asked, looking down at her Mother.

"Ask your ex!" Han grunted, looking over to glare at Isolder. Except Isolder was no longer there. "Where'd he go?"

"Told me...said she wasn't...not..at the Praxeum..." Jacen wheezed. "Not to go looking...said I'd never find her...then went."

"Medic's on his way." Jag confirmed, shutting off his commlink.

"How long?" Han asked gruffly.

"What Sir?" Jag queried.

"How long will the medic be?" Han asked again, sternly.

"Not long Sir. As soon as he heard who it was, he said he'd mobilise a team right away." Jag responded.

"At least her name still carries a little weight." Han slumped down alongside Leia.

"What is it Dad? What's wrong?" Jaina asked, sensing her father's solemn mood.

"Baby's not moving." Han shook his head almost imperceptibly keeping his hand laid against Leia's belly.


	2. Chapter 2

"Still sore?" Jaina asked of Jacen who was repeatedly clearing his throat.

"Stings a little, yeah." He rasped.

"Guess that's what you get for dipping your finger in the Hapan Honey." She smirked.

The medics, when they arrived, had transferred Leia to her bed for further examination. It was established that she was indeed suffering from the effects of having been stunned and would recover quite naturally in less than an hour.  
Of greater concern was the condition of her baby and whilst Han remained at Leia's side annoying the Hell out of the one live human and three android medical staff, Jaina, Jacen and Jag sat patiently in the living area waiting for news.

"What were you thinking of anyway? She was way outta your league." Jaina teased.

"You don't know the first thing about it Jaina, so why don't you just keep your snout out." Jacen countered.

"So, where do you think he's taken her?" She persisted.

"Probably back to Hapes." Jacen shrugged. "It's the one place in the Galaxy where men are generally made to feel unwelcome. Doesn't really matter does it? I'm never going to see her again!"

He pushed himself to his feet and lumbered off to the kitchen. Jaina sighed and smiled up at Jag who wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I love how devoted your Dad is to your Mom. They seem to be over whatever it was that came between them." He said.

"It's not only that. Mom was pregnant a few years back." Jaina explained. "The first time they actually _planned_ to have a baby."

Jag gave her a puzzled expression.

"What I meant is that Jacen and I were a bit of a surprise." She elaborated. "Anakin, even more so. After Mom'd been Minister of State and Chief of State and after all that they'd _both_ done for the Rebellion and then later the New Republic they found themselves at a point when they could really devote time to one another, their home and their family. So they decided to have another child. It took them a couple of years, of course, to actually go from talking about it to the pregnancy stage but they were really looking forward to having another baby."

She sighed again and turned sad brown eyes upto Jag.

"Mom'd been unwell pretty much all the way through." She continued. "Then suddenly at seven months she went into labour and the baby was stillborn. It was a little girl, they called her Hannay. Every now and then they'll talk about her. But not often. I think the memory's just too painful for them."

"And here they are. Pregnant again." He noted.

"And at seven months." She inhaled deeply and rose as the medical droids hovered their way through the living room, followed by the single human doctor and her Father.

"Well. Thank you again, Doc." Han extended his hand which the doctor shook warmly. When they were all gone, Han looked down at the flimsie the doctor had left in his hand and smirked.

It was an invoice.

"How's Mom?" Jaina asked nervously.

"Judging by the amount of Alderaanian expletives out of her mouth, she's gonna be just fine. Not so sure about me though!" He held out his arms for Jaina, who rushed into his embrace.

"And the baby?" Jaina pressed tentatively.

"According to your Mom, he'll be the next Maur Howins. Only faster." Han smiled. "Where's your brother?"

"Kitchen." She replied. "I heard the clink of a bottle so I'm guessing he's trying to get toasted on Uncle Luke's non alcoholic beer, since that's all there is in the refrigeration unit."

"Speaking of your Uncle Luke..." Han started.

"I called him. He and Aunt Mara are going to stop by before they leave in the morning." She told him, receiving a kiss to the top of her head in thanks.

"You two better get some sleep. We still got that early start tomorrow." Han said.

"I'm very glad all seems to be well with your wife, and with your baby." Jag offered his hand which Han looked at before dismissing it and pulling the boy into his arms for an old fashioned Han man-hug.

Jaina slipped her hand into Jag's and they headed off toward her bedroom, Jaina sending Jag ahead and returning quickly to her father's side.

"Just so you know." She whispered up to him. "Jag and I have an understanding. Nothing...you know..._intimate_ until we're both ready for it. And I'm not ready for it, not yet at least."

She kissed her father's cheek and skipped off to bed.  
Han breathed sigh of relief.  
He liked Jagged Fel. Liked him on a man-to-man level.  
He just wasn't sure he could ever like any man who did with his daughter what he himself did with his daughter's Mother!  
It wasn't right to like a man who did that. Probably wasn't even right thinking about it.

He wiped the thought from his mind and went in search of his Son who he found without any degree of difficulty, propped against a kitchen cabinet staring into space. Han considered what it was he thought he could say to make his Son feel any better.

"Is there any more of those in the cooler?" Han asked indicating the beer and opting for companionship over judgement. Jacen grabbed a bottle, flipped the lid and offered it to his Father who took a long drink.

"Yep. Still like Wookiee Piss!" He grumbled, observing a brief smile tug at the corner of Jacen's lips. "You know..."

"Dad. No offence. But please don't tell me I'll get over her or that there are more girls out there or any your other stupid ex-smuggler, Correlian crap..."

"Hey!" Han snapped. "I didn't come in here to be snarled at by a pup!"

"Then what did you come in here for?" Jacen challenged. "I'm not a complete idiot Dad. I know Jaina's the one who got the brains an' I know what you think of me. But I'm still not a complete idiot."

"I don't think you're an idiot Jacen. You wanna know what I _do_ think? I think you have your Mother's quiet, brooding nature that makes you hard to read sometimes. I think you have a great capacity to love and to be loved and _I_ think Isolder's an asshole if he thinks his precious daughter could find herself a better friend, a better lover, maybe even in time a better husband, than you. That's what I think."

A calm quiet fell between them, until Jacen eventually broke the silence.

"Is Mom and the baby okay?" Jacen asked, blushing.

"They're gonna be fine. No thanks to me." Han slung his arm around Jacen's neck, pulling him into a neck hug. "You learn anything from that lesson Son?"

"Yeah. Shoot the Hapan Prince, not the Alderaanian Princess." Jacen laughed as he struggled out of his Father's neck hold.

"And don't make assumptions." Han chastised him. "I know how much she meant to you. And if you want to go looking for her, well, I'm right beside you. You should know that."

"Really?" Jacen asked, astonished.

"Isolder tried to steal my girl. Now he's come back to try to steal my Son's." Han tutted. "It's about time that asshole learnt his lesson."

"And you wouldn't mind being the one to teach it to him, right Dad?" Jacen asked.

"That, would just be a bonus." Han clinked his bottle to Jacen's, tipped it to his lips and thought better of it. "Tell you what. How about we dump this drizzle and get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow and I was thinking, tomorrow night I could take you, Jaina and your Mom out for dinner. Somewhere nice. Somewhere with decent beer."

Han raised an eyebrow in query and got a grin and a nod in agreement. They tossed their half-drunk beers and dropped the bottles in the recycling unit before going their separate ways. Creeping toward the bed, Han tried to see through the dim lighting if Leia's eyes were closed.

"You asleep Honey?" He whispered. Getting no answer he slid gently in beside her and leaned lightly in her direction. "Sweetheart? You awake?" He asked quietly.

With still no replay, Han exhaled and lay softly close but not touching his wife. And relaxed.

"You shot me!" She accused.

"That's not..._entirely_...true Sweetheart." Han responded.

"No?" Leia's eyes were clearly glaring at him, he could see now even in the muted light.

"Isolder was trying to get the blaster away from me and it just went off." He explained. "_Buuut_...at least it was only set to stun."

"Well that's a comfort." She said sarcastically. "What was he doing here anyway?"

"Trying to strangle our Son. _After_ he'd told him not to see his daughter again and _before_ telling him he had her hidden away somewhere Jacen'd never find her anyway." Han told her. "Sweet of him, wouldn't you say?"

"I'd say he was either being over-protective or acting out of spite." She argued. "And I'd say you were not so dissimilar."

"Now just a minute..." He rolled onto his side to look at her smirking at him. "Hmm...very funny!"

"Not from where I'm lying!" She said, scowling. "Our baby thinks he's in a podrace. _Without_ the pod! One minute it's an elbow under my ribs and the next it's a foot or a knee or something. He's changed position twenty times in the past half hour. He can't keep still and all because of you stunning him!"

"I'm sorry sweetheart." He edged closer, kissing her forehead and laying a hand against her stomach. "Wow! He really _is_ active."

"No kidding!" She cursed.

"I am truly sorry. You know, just for a moment out there, I thought you were dead. And I wanted to die with you." He slid an arm beneath her and cuddled her to him. "And then, when I realised you were only stunned but that I couldn't feel the baby moving...I wanted us both to die, rather than have to go through that again."

He kissed her forehead again, his lips lingering against her flesh.

"You know something?" She said, resting against him. "If this little one doesn't settle and if I don't get some sleep, you might wanna be careful what you wish for flyboy!"

Leia closed her eyes, felt the warmth of her husband's embrace, sensed the honest-to-goodness regret and fear in his heart. It had been an accident, obviously, one for which she and their little one was currently paying the price.  
She could feel Han drifting into his slumbers by the deepening of his breath and the mumbling from his lips. She couldn't help but smile as he muttered about Jag's looks and blushed as he intimated that the boy ogled his wife.  
Whilst sleep alluded her, Han snored contentedly into her hair and their baby continued to flip again and again. And as daylight approached, something gripped her lower abdomen and twisted like a knife.  
Leia groaned, tugging sharply on Han's chest hair and in the same instant, the pain ceased.

"Wha...!" He gasped, sitting up sharply before flopping back and gripping his chest. "Might not be much but it's all I got Honey! Try not to rip it out by the fistful will ya?"

His grin faded rapidly at her pale, frightened face. "What is it Leia?"

"Nothing." She breathed. "It's nothing. Really. Just a twinge."

"Leia?" He pressed, not believing her.

"I think the little beast bit me!" She replied, a weak smile crossing her lips. "He's settling now though. Finally."

Their chronometer bleeped, indicating it was time for them to rise.  
Leia groaned with disappointment rather than discomfort.

"You know what? You stay put, I'll get the kids galvanised and bring you something for breakfast in a little while," he smoothed her hair and smiled lovingly. "What do you say?"

"I should be helping." She insisted.

"An hour won't hurt." He assured her.

"I don't know..." She told him.

"An hour. I promise you." He repeated. "Besides, I should do your share of the morning chores since I shot you."

"Okay. One hour. But Han..." She looked at him pointedly. "Please don't mention the shooting thing to the removal guys."

He gave her an 'as if' smile and kissed her cheek lightly before going to the kitchen to prepare one last breakfast and finding Jaina, Jacen and Jag already getting something together.

"You spoiled the surprise!" Jaina said. "We were going to bring you both breakfast in bed."

"I'm pretty sure your Mom would appreciate the gesture." Han said, before turning to Jacen. "Er … you got the removal confirmation Son?"

"You made all the arrangements Dad." He replied puzzled.

"Hmm. I figured you might say that, just hoped you'd have kept a copy." Han scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Don't suppose you know where _I_ might have kept a copy?"

"You said you didn't need a copy. That it was all up here." Jacen tapped his head in demonstration.

"Hmm. I figured you might say that too." Han frowned.

"You were right. Mom loved her breakfast in bed." Jaina smiled as she returned.

"Right on cue!" Han grumbled as the door chimed.

He made his way to the door and stepped aside to allow Luke and Mara access with a sweeping hand gesture.

"So go on. Let's get it over with." Han said, wincing.

"Dunno what you mean." Luke wore a look of pure innocence.

"Sure you do. So go ahead. Get it off your chest." Han told him.

"Go on Luke." Mara grinned. "Give it your best shot."

The two Skywalkers tried to stifle their amusement.

"And there it is!" Han groaned.

"Seriously. Han." Luke laid his hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder. "I'm just glad Leia and the baby are going to be all right. Admittedly though, when Jaina first called, I was just as stunned as Leia was."

Han nodded, accepting he was probably going to be the butt of a good few jokes before they were through. The chime sounded again, much to Han's merciful relief.

"Blast!" Mara half-heartedly cursed. "And we had a whole host of puns rehearsed. Slugger!"

She punched Han lightly on the arm as he passed her, rolling his eyes, en route to the door.

"We'll go on through to see Leia, if that's okay with you?" Luke spoke to Han's back, a wave of his hand indicating he was fine with it.

"Horgon Solo?" The man at the door asked.

"It's _Han_ Solo." Han corrected.

"I got Horgon on my manifest." The man repeated.

"I don't care if you got crickets on your crotch. The name's still Han Solo." Han barked.

"Someone needs to rise from the right side of the matrimonial." The man mumbled and drew a line through the name on his sheet then passed it to Han for approval, pointing out. "Needs your signature."

Han took his time reading the document.

"I'm not signing this." Han handed the tablet back to the man. "It's wrong."

"Look. I'm sorry about the name Sir, but if you wanna be outta here today you gotta sign the docket. Got it?" He passed the schedule back to Han.

"It's nothing to do with the name." Han shoved the deed back at the man. "But it's not what I agreed to and I'm not signing it."

The man sighed.

"Let me guess." The man said. "You booked two transports but you forgot to book removal droids, right Sir?"

"No. I booked two transports and six droids." Han insisted.

"I don't suppose Sir has a copy of his booking to hand, does he?" The man queried.

"Must have packed it." Han drawled.

"Aint that a shame." The man said unsympathetically.

"Han?" Leia called as, assisted by Luke, she appeared in the living quarters. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Man here thinks he's gonna cheat me...us." Han answered, moving to look over at her.

Dressed in a casual pantsuit she looked pale and a little shaky, but none the worse for the ordeal at his hands.

"P...Princess?" The man at the door first peered into the room, before pushing past Han to enter the apartment. "Princess Org..."

The man grinned, looked down at his computer log, laughed and turned a knowing look on Han.

"Not Horgon Solo!" The man tapped the paperwork in his hand. "_Organa_ Solo!"

"Selsby?" Leia puzzled over at the man before her, a beaming smile spreading across her face. "It _is_ you!"

"A pleasure Your Highness. An absolute pleasure." Selsby took her hand and kissed it's back, bowing. "I followed your career, obviously, but I never thought _I'd_ be the one moving you."

"Selsby was an aide when I was first appointed Minister of State." Leia explained to a puzzled Han. "How long have you been in removals?"

"Long enough, Your Highness, to know you should be resting." Selsby took to her side and guided her into a chair. "Whatever is your husband thinking, moving with you in your condition."

Selsby glared at Han who glared right on back at him.

"Well, it's great seeing that you're all right. But we better get back to relieve Threepio before he starts grumbling about child minding duties again." Luke kissed Leia's cheek and smiled down at her. "Take it easy."

"I will." She smiled back.

"And you look after her." Luke slapped Han on the shoulder.

"What? No parting shot?" Mara chuckled.

"Nah!" Luke chuckled back. "Han always shoots first."

Han closed his eyes and sighed. _This is getting tedious now!_ He thought, as he showed Luke and Mara to the door.

"Okay. So this is how we're going to handle things." Selsby said, checking his commpad. "I'm gonna call the office and get six of my finest removal droids over as fast as their little servomotors can move them. Then, while..." He glanced at Han. "...Sir slips himself into something more suitable, I will establish which rooms to move first."

"Oh my goodness!" Leia exclaimed, suddenly realising Han was in his nightwear.

"Kitchen's clear." Jaina announced, entering the living quarters along with Jacen and Jag.

"This..." Selsby admired the young lady before him. "This _cannot_ be the little Princess?"

"Sure is." Leia confirmed. "Of course, she's grown some since you last saw her. Jaina, Jacen, this is Selsby, he was one of my aides when you were just toddlers."

"You gave us pink iced chips when Mom was stuck in Council." Jacen recalled, offering his hand.

"Fancy you remembering that!" Selsby observed, shaking hands.

"I liked 'em." Jacen shrugged and grinned.

"Jagged Fel." Jag stretched a hand forward. Selsby nodded and shook Jag's hand.

"What say now we're all acquainted, we get a wriggle on." Han asked, his arms folded. "Only, I was kinda hoping to get my wife settled in our new home before she drops our latest arrival."

"You going like that?" Leia's eyes travelled from his head to toe and back again.

"Two minutes." He told her, demonstrating with two fingers and blowing her a kiss as he headed back toward their bedroom.

"I never could understand his appeal." Selsby sighed. "He always seemed too...uncouth for you, Your Highness."

"Maybe that was just what I needed." Leia suggested. "Someone to keep my feet on the ground."

"Not my place to comment, Your Highness." Selsby pulled his commlink from his pocket. "If you'll excuse me, I'll make that call to the office."

He stepped away, informing his office assistant that he required her help and that 'no' was not an option. Leia meanwhile sat forward, breathing deeply.

"You okay Mom?" Jaina asked, kneeling beside her Mother's chair.

"Guess he's awake." Leia rolled her eyes. "Again."

"Mind if I...?" Jaina held her hand out and Leia, smiling, guided it to a particularly active place on her abdomen. "Wow! It...it's weird, feeling him moving about like that."

"What's up?" Han asked, returning now dressed in some of his favourite old pants and a casual shirt.

"Just trying to get a sense of something from the baby." Jaina said, rising.

"Oh yeah. What's he say?" Han teased.

"That he's really looking forward to meeting the sharpest shooter in town." She giggled, as her father groaned. "And that you're on two am feeds as a punishment."

"And diaper duty. Don't forget he told you that too." Leia added with a smile.

"Droids will be here in no more than thirty standard minutes." Selsby advised and turned his attention to Jaina and Jacen. "According to my instructions, some of the furniture is being left for the new owners when they move in. Perhaps you wouldn't mind showing me?"

The twins agreed readily and lead Selsby through to their rooms, Jag following.

"So." Han dropped to kneel beside Leia. "You really all right?"

"I feel like I have a five am hangover without having imbibed the alcohol to deserve it." She answered honestly. "But I _will_ be fine. We _both_ will."

She interlaced her fingers between his and drew his hand to her lips, kissing it tenderly.

"Next scan." He said. "Maybe we _should_ find out the sex. Stop us keep calling him 'he' if he's a 'she'. And I could make a start on decorating the nursery."

Leia smiled, her eyes drooping. She was tired, no doubt about that. But it helped her too, in hiding from Han the growing pains in her abdomen.  
Boy or girl, their baby was still suffering the effects of the stun blast. If it could give Leia the hangover from all the nine Hells of Corellian, she could only begin to imagine what their tiny child must be experiencing. Han leaned forward and lovingly rubbed his nose against Leia's.

"I love you Mrs Solo." He whispered.

"I know." She told him.

"Get a room!" Jaina groaned as she led everyone across the living area. "You should know something about my parents Mr Selsby, they're _very_ affectionate. Sometimes, it can be a little nauseating."

Han shook his head and whispered something in Leia's ear, causing her to laugh. Jaina didn't know what it was her father had said, but she suspected it had something to do with her and Jag. And she didn't think she liked it.

"Jacen's going to walk Mr Selsby through the kitchen, storage areas and the balcony." Jaina advised, indicating Jag should go as well. And once they were out of earshot, with hands on hips, she turned to her parents. "I don't know what that was about, but I suppose _I_ was the butt of your joke."

"I was just reminding your Mother that she was just like you, until I managed to draw a less uptight side out of her." Han replied smugly.

Jaina regarded him through narrowed eyes. "Hmm. Well, I'm going to strip your bed and shove everything in a bag. You can put it in the recycler when you get to the new place." She announced, huffed and stalked off toward their bedroom.

"Glad you didn't tell her what you _really_ said." Leia stifled a coy smile.

"Sooner that Fel kid gets in her panties, the better for all of us!" Han mumbled.

"Han! Not everything's about sex." She chided.

"She's half Corellian, remember? So it's at least halfways about sex."

"He's on my bladder again." Leia said with a grimace.

"Okay Sweetheart." Han rose, helping Leia to her feet. "Let's get you to the 'fresher before we test the stain resistant carpet to it's fullest capacity."


	3. Chapter 3

The droids arrived and Mr Selsby, closely observed by Han, organised the loading of the transports. With the Solo twins furniture loaded Jacen, Jaina and Jag set off to receive and oversee it's safe delivery to their new homes.

In the three hours it had taken to load the remaining transport, as Han busied himself and bossed Selsby, Leia sat quietly watching as their apartment emptied. Every box, every carton, every stick of furniture held a memory for her. Things she had been bequeathed following the destruction of her home world; things she had acquired herself over the years; gifts from her children as well as a wealth of favours bestowed upon her with the unconditional love of her husband.  
And, throughout, no amount of Jedi calming techniques could prevent their child from flipping and flopping around her abdomen.

"Huh?" She looked up at her husband who, suddenly it seemed, was before her wearing a laugh across his face.

"Where were you? 'Cos it sure seemed nice." He said.

"Just daydreaming I guess." She sighed.

"Well..." He crouched before her. "I got some good news and some bad news Sweetheart."

He looked serious, like he'd looked when he'd accidentally broken their wedding present from Mon Mothma.

"Not the vase!" She breathed.

Han looked at her from beneath his eyelashes in the same sheepish way he employed when he had enjoyed a glass or two too many Corellian ales.

"It was one of a kind and only survived because it was on loan when the Empire blew up Alderaan!" She angrily told him.

"Yeah. I know." He sounded contrite. "That's why I made sure it was double-wrapped and put it on the transport myself. It's perfectly safe."

"Then what?" She demanded.

"The good news is, we're all packed." He smiled at her. "The bad news is, it's time to go."

Leia breathed a sigh. Partly out of relief at knowing the vase, some small part of her adoptive family's heritage was safe, and partly at the knowledge that it was time to say goodbye.

"Come on Honey." Han offered her his most endearing smile and both arms to help her to her feet.

"You mind if I take a minute?" She asked softly.

"I figured you might." He said, handing her the walker he knew she hated and wanted so desperately to help her discard. "I'm going to send Selsby and his crew over to the new place and bring the airspeeder round."

They kissed. A small, tender moment that they knew would be their last in the place they had shared and called home. And when he was gone, Leia scanned misty eyes around the living quarters.

Stark, but for the few bits of furniture they were leaving, to the naked eye it was just a room.  
Four walls. Doorways. A balcony overlooking the cityscape.  
But as Leia listened to her quiet surroundings, she could hear the chatter and laughter of years gone by.  
The squeals of their children, playing with her and their father.  
Dinners shared.  
Tears shed, both happy and sad.  
The night they had come home from a networking banquet, tired from all the diplomatic talk, Han had turned her in his arms the instant the door had shut behind them and devoured her. Many assumed he was like that all the time.  
They considered him her 'bit of rough'. But Leia knew the tenderness that could bubble beneath the surface every bit as much as his passion.  
The times when he, she, or they both, were too exhausted for anything more than to lie luxuriating in one another's arms. Or when his lovemaking would be so sweet and gentle that it could draw her to the brink of tears.  
Han Solo, the Corellian, was skilled in the art of making love.  
Han Solo, the man, was blessed with the art of loving.

With a soft sigh she cast a cursory glance over the kitchen, recalling parties they had prepared from these surfaces, then she spent a moment of contemplation in what had been their bedroom.  
Initially it had been their occasional sanctuary from the rigours of political life. The place where they had made Jaina and Jacen. Most probably at least. Anakin too. She expected. The little one she now carried, very definitely. Though Hannay, she knew, had been conceived on the Falcon.  
A smirk threatened to curl her lips. Oh how they had loved each other in this room! Others too, of course. But this chamber...this was where much of the real magic occurred.

Leia leaned heavily on her walker as she turned to take a final tour of the children's bedrooms. Children no more, of course, and likely to be producing children of their own in the coming years.  
In her daughter's room, she inhaled deeply Jaina's latest favourite scent. 'Whisper' if she wasn't mistaken. A gift she suspected from Han. Or Jag. Not something Jaina would have purchased for herself, that was for sure.  
Jacen's room, even empty, exuded a sense of chaos. Their eldest boy carried so much conflict inside him, his indifference to his Force abilities compounded by his animosity over his own denial of it's role. The feeling was almost palpable.  
_Their eldest boy._ She thought. _Their only boy!  
_Acting as if as a reminder of it's presence, her abdomen twinged violently.

"You don't count." She soothed a hand across her belly. "You're not here yet."

Her last stop was Anakin's room. Leia closed her eyes, breathed slowly and concentrated. She let herself feel light, to drift back through the years and smiled involuntarily as she felt the weight of him in her arms, his lips at her breast.

"Oh Anakin!" Her words were little more than a whisper, a breath passing between her lips and dispersing in the room's atmosphere.

She heard his light laughter. His arguments with Jacen over the use of the Force, always softly spoken, never enraged.  
_I miss you, my Son._ She thought and felt the pressure of his love anchor in her heart.  
Leia opened her eyes and smiled. She was filled with a sense of tranquillity and contentment.

And at the exact moment she realised she was ready to leave, a spasm ripped through her like the laceration of a white-hot lightsaber. Leia gasped and collapsed to her knees, the pain stealing her breath and rendering her unable to cry out or even speak.  
_Anakin!_ Her mind at least could still scream. _Help me Anakin!_

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Okay, how'd _you_ hear about it?" Han rolled his eyes.

Sitting in the airspeeder pilot's chair, Han tutted at himself for even answering Lando's commlink call.

"I have my sources." Lando chuckled. "You know, _I_ always figured it would be Leia shooting you not the other way around."

"Yeah. Yeah." Han rolled his eyes again. "Tell it to the stars!"

"Speaking of stars. Where _is_ our little Heavenly Body?" Lando's grin was audible.

"Lando, Leia was never _our_ heavenly body, only ever _mine_." Han growled. "But to answer your question, she's saying a quiet goodbye to the apartment. We're moving today."

"That's today!" Lando exclaimed. "Out of interest, what d'you pay for the new place?"

"Now why would you think I'd discuss personal financial matters with _you_, Calrissian?" Han asked.

"Over the odds huh?" Lando concluded. "You know if you'd let me negotiate it for you, I could have gotten you a real sweet deal."

"For your information, I already got myself a real sweet deal." It was Han's turn to chuckle now. "And I don't just mean on the property market. I got the three best ladies in the Galaxy; my wife, my daughter and my ship."

Han's eyes drifted to the elevator and watched as the indicator showed the lift rise to his apartment's floor.

"Looks like we might be ready to go." Han reported.

"Say, why I don't give Tendra some time to herself and come visit." Lando said. "It's been an age since I got to see you guys."

"Huh?" Han frowned as the elevator returned to the underground parking and storage facility, doors swishing aside and revealing...no one inside.

"That's settled then." Lando continued. "I'll get things sorted at this end and be with you in a couple more days."

"Seriously." Han grumbled and shook his head in dismay. "How long can it take to check we packed everything."

"I thought you said Leia was saying goodbye?" Lando challenged.

"I did." Han's focus pulled to the corner of the elevator where he saw the curl of a cape...at least he thought he saw the curl of a cape. Brown, maybe black. Kind of like the one Anakin had worn at the Praxeum.

Then his attention came back to Lando who was chuckling.

"For someone with more sensitivity than he cares admit, you sure can be unfeeling sometimes ol' buddy." He accused his oldest friend.

"Listen, Lando, I think I know Leia _a little_ better than you do. She's not gonna go all mushy over a long-ago polished-away ass-print on the balcony window. That stuff's just window dressing. The _real_ memories are inside."

Han patted his chest as the elevator rose again to it's previous floor and paused.

"How's she doing now?" Lando asked, trying not to sound too sombre.

"Oh, you know. Good days an' bad ones." Han watched the lift indicator descend to the parking level again and the doors open once more...empty.

"An' how are _you_ doing?" Lando knew he hadn't hidden the sorrow in his voice that time.

Han found himself staring at the airspeeder controls, struggling to hold onto his emotions. Losing a child was a devastating experience. Han knew, because everybody had told him it was so.  
Losing their child was devastating for _Leia_. Han knew, because everybody had told him that it must be.  
But what all those good intentioned people didn't say, was that losing their son would rip them _both_ apart inside. They didn't say it because they didn't know Han Solo. Not the way Luke or Lando or Chewie, if he'd still been alive, knew him.

"Me?" Han breathed. "Good days an' bad ones."

Han shook himself back into the present and stared across at the elevator doors, sliding closed. Sliding closed on a dark-clad man, standing in the dark receding shadows. And his heart froze.  
_Seriously Solo, you gotta get a grip!_ Han thought.

"...Vader." Lando was saying.

"What?" Han straightened in his chair.

"I said..." Lando repeated. "You're doing the right thing moving on. Leia knows that and it's not like you made her."

Han watched the elevator stop again.  
At their floor.  
And wait.  
And wait.  
And wait.

"I gotta go." Han flipped the commlink off and leapt from the airspeeder, thinking. _I got a bad feeling about this!_

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Jagged Fel was more than a little surprised when the door slid aside at his touch. He hadn't thought he was well enough regarded by Solo Senior to be granted touchpad access. Obviously, he was wrong.  
Stepping cautiously into the living quarters he listened, puzzled at the soft whimpering sounds from somewhere within.

"Captain Solo?" Jag called.

The whimpering stopped and was followed by an anguished gurgle.

"Mrs Solo?" Jag called, moving further into the living area. "Is that you? Is everything all right?"

_Why do people always ask such dumb-ass questions_, Jag wondered, _when clearly there was something not right_.  
He also wondered if he should use some term of endearment other than 'Mrs' when addressing his girlfriend's mother. He trod carefully through the now desolate living area and into the bedroom he had once been both seducer and seduced by that same girlfriend.  
And he couldn't help but smile at the memory.  
It was taking every ounce of his resolve not to cave in to Jaina's very obvious flirtations with him. He wanted them to be the best of friends again before they embarked on a physical relationship because, he believed, that only the very best of friends were destined to be life long lovers.

A groan interrupted his thoughts and he followed the sound to the smaller bedroom where Leia was propped on one elbow struggling to remove her pants.

"Mrs Solo!" Jag exclaimed and dropped to his knees beside her.

"Oh Jagged. Thank goodness!" Her breath was ragged as she spoke. "Help me get these off would you?"

"I...um...I...I really don't think the Captain would...I mean...I'm not sure he'd..." Jag stammered.

"I really don't care what my husband thinks right now!" Leia groaned again. "Because, like it or not, this baby's coming and I can't give birth in my pants!"

Her boots had already been tossed aside and Jag was careful not to make eye contact as he helped remove her pants and undergarments.

"Do you have your commlink?" She asked.

Jag tapped his pockets and gave a sheepish smile. "Guess I must have left it at Jaina's. I only got sent back here because I think I was getting on her nerves. She has pretty definite ideas about where things are gonna go and I'm not sure I was helping very much."

"Pity." Leia said, trying to regulate her breathing. "I could really do with a husband about now."

"You and me, both." Jag mumbled under his breath as Leia spread her thighs and grabbed his hand, panting. "Where'd Captain Solo get to anyway?"

"To get the 'speeder." Leia squeezed her eyes shut and let a deep growl escape her lips. "Feels like hours ago!"

"Maybe I should go look for him." Jag suggested, helpfully.

"You stay right where you are!" Leia's eyes flew open, her glare boring into Jag. "I have to push!"

Her hand tightened as the contraction swelled.

"Ma'am...I...I'm really not comfortable..." Jag started.

"Seriously!" Leia's glare was enough to wither the hardiest of men. "Now is _not_ the time to talk to me about comfort!"

"What if...well, you know...what if the baby starts to...um...put in an appearance...?" Jag asked.

"We have nothing to cut the cord!" Leia gasped as if the realisation that her possessions were in a transport was the worst nightmare she'd ever had.

"I was kinda thinking about what you'd want me to do..." Jag said, his eyes briefly flicking between Leia's legs. "Down there!"

"She'd want you step aside and make way for someone with bigger balls than you've got!" Han growled from the doorway.

"Captain!" Jag said in unison with Leia's "Han!"

"You two alone in here?" Han asked falling to his knees beside his wife.

"If you don't count the baby, yes." Leia answered with slightly less sarcasm than she intended.

"Here..." Han tossed his commlink to Jag. "Make yourself useful and call for medical transport. An' tell 'em it's urgent."

Jag confirmed he would and stepped outside the bedroom to make his call.

"They're not going to get here in time Han." Leia said, shaking her head. "This little fella is _way_ too anxious to meet his mama and papa!"

She grimaced again and scrunched her nose, pushing through another contraction. Han hovered between gripping Leia's hand and checking for signs of their baby's impending arrival.

"Can you see his head yet?" She asked as the pain briefly subsided.

"Not yet." Han replied. "But...you do know that's gonna stain, right?"

Leia laughed, the relief then giving way to the tears she had been trying too hard to suppress. Han shuffled to her side and cradled her in his arms.

"Hey. Come on. We're having a baby here." He soothed.

"I kept...I kept calling it 'he' because I didn't want it to be another Hannay." She admitted, though Han was already aware.

"Yeah. I kinda guessed as much." He held her tightly as another contraction rolled through her.

"He's not going to make it." She told Han. "It's too soon. He'll be too small..."

Han tried to soothe her some more, but the urge to push was becoming more and more intense.

"They're on their way." Jag announced, sounding rather pleased with himself. "Full crash team."

With a scream, a howl and cursing that Han found both amusing and offensive, Leia strained knowing she was about to deliver what was without a shadow of a doubt the very last chance they would have to make a baby of their own.  
Han tried to unshackle himself from Leia's grasp, but she wasn't about to let go and ultimately it was Jagged Fel who buckled under the weight of argument and ended up crouched between Leia's thighs announcing that the baby's head had appeared.  
And in the next breath, his mouth dropped open, his eyes bulging.

"Oh my...! Oh no, that can't be good!" Jag exclaimed.

"What?" Han screeched at the boy.

"Blood. Lots and lots of blood." Jag's ashen face turned up to Han's. "I don't think it was the baby's head at all. I think it must have been the...you know, the what's-it-called...the blood sack!"

"Get outta my way ya Sithspawn." Han barked and wrenched himself from Leia to see for himself. Jag happily traded places, wrapping his arms around a gasping Leia, supporting her with his body.

"Oh my...sweet mother of a Hutt!" Han muttered. "Can't you tell the difference between a head and a placenta, you moron?"

"Well, I'm sorry." Jag apologised. "I've never seen one before. Not from that angle at least."

Han swallowed.

_Now what the Hell am I supposed to do!_ He thought.

"Okay." He said, his mind grasping at every straw in sight. "Well, we'll worry about the stain later. What we need is..."

"Sir." Jag interrupted, holding a limp Leia in his arms. "I think your wife just passed out."

Han felt his whole world starting to crumble.

_Not like this. _He thought._ I'm not losing her like this._

"Where's that _kriffing_ crash team?" Han spat, at the same moment two 2-1B droids boiled into the room, followed by an FX-7 and four human medics.

Amid shouts of "Hey, that's _my_ wife!" Han and Jag were unceremoniously ushered out of the way, as the team set to work with their patient.  
What felt like an age later, but was in fact less than a standard hour, Jagged Fel held Jaina loosely in his arms whilst Jacen paced the floor nervously.  
Leia had been stabilised and transported immediately to the medical centre where an emergency neonatal surgical team had operated to successfully deliver her baby.  
The baby was small, unable to breathe unaided and would need considerable neonatal care, but was alive and lying in an incu-crib under the watchful eyes of Han and Leia until Han slipped quietly from his wife's bedside to step into the corridor and face his children.  
All eyes turned on him expectantly.

"You got a baby brother." He said simply, with his quirky smile.

"Oh Dad!" Jaina was first to rush into her father's arms, hugging him tightly.

"Congratulations." Jag added.

"That's great!" Jacen beamed.

"And Mrs Solo?" Jag asked, concerned.

"She's had a rough time, I won't lie." He said, feeling Jaina's arms tighten at his waist. "But the team here were magnificent. She's gonna be just fine, after a few days to get over it all."

"Can we see him?" Jaina's eyes, _her mother's eyes_ Han thought, appealed up at him.

"Just for a few minutes." He agreed. "But listen. He's in a crib being monitored so we can't disturb him. And your Mom, you know, she really has been through a lot so I don't want you exhausting her. You hear me?"

"We're not stupid Dad." Jacen assured him and Han moved aside for them to enter Leia's suite.  
However, Han stopped Jag with a hand to the centre of his chest before he could cross the threshold.

"Family only. I get it." Jag said.

"No, it's not that." Han corrected. "I just wanted to apologise for calling you Sithspawn earlier."

Jag smiled his acceptance.

"You called me a moron too." He pointed out.

"Don't push it Son!" Han growled softly and had the boy in a head-lock, ruffling his hair before Jag could protest.

When the two, laughing, entered the suite Jacen and Jaina were leaning over the crib examining their brother.

"He's so tiny." Jaina exclaimed.

"Does he really need all those tubes an' stuff?" Jacen enquired, fascinated by the medical equipment.

"He'd heard your Father and I talk about you guys so much, he just couldn't wait to meet you." Leia smiled. She looked pale and tired, but she would always be the most beautiful woman in the Galaxy to Han.

"And watch this." Han said, easing his hand through a handling porthole and sliding his right index finger into the baby's tiny hand.

Jacen, Jaina and Jag watched as the almost-too-tiny fingers curled against his father's almost-too-large finger.

"What do you say to that, huh?" Han asked, his grin almost threatening to take over his face.

"Isn't that your trigger finger Dad?" Jaina asked, with an equally wide grin.

Han gave her a look and mouthed 'cheeky' before gently removing his hand from the crib.

"Okay kids. I think it's time you let your Mom get some rest." Han gathered the entourage in his arms for one final hug and ushered them out, each offering congratulations and love to Leia as they went.

"You didn't tell them about the developmental issues?" Leia asked of her husband when they were once again alone with their little one.

"I didn't think it necessary, since we don't know for sure there'll _be_ any developmental issues." He replied, gazing at his baby son.

"Han..." Leia started.

"Listen, Sweetheart..." Han swivelled on the edge of her bed to smile down at her. "He's alive, he's fighting to stay that way an' I'm telling ya Honey, he's got one Hell of a grip in that little hand of his."

The hand he had offered the baby minutes before, he now cupped Leia's face stroking her cheek lovingly.

"So okay, his lungs don't work so well right now. They will, when he's stronger." He reasoned. "And okay, maybe he was starved of oxygen for a little while. But the Doctors said themselves, there's no way of knowing at this stage the effect that might have on him. And besides..." Han turned his head toward the baby in the crib. "So what if he's not gonna be a Jedi Master? So what if he just turns out to be an ordinary Joe with a limp and a below average IQ? I couldn't love him more, no matter what."

"When did you stop being a pessimist and start being such an optimist?" Leia smiled, covering his hand with her own.

"Day I met you." Han answered honestly and leaned down to rub his nose against hers. "This sure turned out to be a moving day all right."


End file.
